The wait is finally over for Breaking Bad fans and normally, we’d just jump right to the press release below but we felt the need to point out something that was quite shocking considering the recent news we posted about the hit series. Last month we reported that the 16 episode final season would be split with the first eight episodes premiering in July and the last eight premiering in early 2013. Well, not quite, apparently. According to the press release below, the first eight episodes will air thsi summer beginning on July 15th, however the last eight won’t air until summer 2013. That is on its planet of bizarre considering there is no writer’s strike. Hopefully AMC reconsiders this scheduling.

Via Press Release:

AMC Announces Summer Premieres for Scripted and Unscripted Series

“BREAKING BAD” PREMIERES SUNDAY, JULY 15 AT 10PMWITH 8 EPISODES

FINAL 8 EPISODES OF EMMY®-WINNING SERIESTO AIR SUMMER 2013

Network Also Debuts New Unscripted Series, “Small Town Security,”July 15 at 11pm

“Hell on Wheels” Season 2 Returns Sunday, August 12 at 9pm

New York – May 21, 2012 – AMC announced today its summer programming slate, including the highly anticipated premiere of the first part of “Breaking Bad’s” final season on Sunday, July 15 at 10pm ET/PT. The final season of the Emmy® Award-winning and critically acclaimed drama, produced by Sony Pictures Television, consists of 16 episodes, with the first eight episodes beginning July 15 and culminating with the series’ final eight episodes next summer 2013. Also this summer, the network debuts its newest unscripted series, “Small Town Security,” on Sunday, July 15 at 11pm ET/PT and season two of the epic western “Hell on Wheels” Sunday, August 12 at 9pm ET/PT.

Over four seasons, “Breaking Bad” has garnered a total of six Emmys® wins; a Peabody Award; it has been named to the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the “Top 10 Programs of the Year” (2008, 2010, 2011); and been heralded as one of the best TV dramas on television. Filmed on location in Albuquerque, NM, the series stars 2008, 2009 and 2010’s Emmy® Award winner for Outstanding Lead Actor Bryan Cranston; 2010 Emmy® winner for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Aaron Paul; Anna Gunn; Dean Norris; Betsy Brandt; RJ Mitte; Bob Odenkirk; and Jonathan Banks. “Breaking Bad” is produced by High Bridge and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television for AMC. “Breaking Bad” Season 4 will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on June 5. For more information, visit www.sphepublicity.com.

Immediately following “Breaking Bad” is AMC’s new unscripted series, “Small Town Security” (formerly “JJK Security”), which focuses on a small, family-owned private security company located in rural Georgia. Executive produced by Ken Druckerman and Banks Tarver from Left/Right (“This American Life,” “Boomtown,” “Mob Wives”), season one consists of eight, half-hour episodes.

The second season of “Hell on Wheels” continues its epic story of post-Civil War America, focusing on Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a former Confederate soldier, and his dramatic journey west as he struggles to leave his past behind. Executive produced by John Shiban (“Breaking Bad,” “The X-Files”), Joe and Tony Gayton (Faster, Uncommon Valor) and Endemol USA’s Jeremy Gold, the show depicts the traveling town known as ‘Hell on Wheels,’ a dangerous, raucous, lawless melting pot that follows and services the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. “Hell on Wheels” also stars Common as Elam Ferguson; Colm Meaney as Thomas “Doc” Durant; Dominique McElligott as Lily Bell; Christopher Heyerdahl as The Swede; and Robin McLeavy as Eva; Tom Noonan as Reverend Cole; Ben Esler as Sean McGinnes; Philip Burke as Mickey McGinnes; and Eddie Spears as Joseph Black Moon. The series is executive produced by Endemol USA with Entertainment One (eOne) serving as the studio. Season two consists of 10, one-hour episodes.

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only cable network in history to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, as well as the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series – Drama for three consecutive years. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original programming, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC’s original stories include “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “The Killing” and “Hell on Wheels.” AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with its slate of unscripted original series, as well as curated movie franchises like AMC’s Can’t Get Enough and AMC’s Crazy About. Available in more than 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters HereSM.